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Providing great quality and beautiful clothing for our newborns is of utmost importance to all of us, but I think it is especially relevant for parents of premature babies, who for the most part have little choice in regards to suitable clothing for their preemies.
Australian company Earlybirds, established in 2002, provides clothing specially designed for the needs of premature and small babies. With the masses of emotional and physical energy spent by parents of premature babies, finding time to hunt up clothing that suits tiny bodies can often fall to the bottom of the list. Having an entire online shop dedicated to all the necessities of a preemie's early days can help alleviate some of the stress, making life a little easier.
Earlybirds has two collections, Sunnydays and Organics, and offers clothing from Isolette Suits (soft cotton rib garments designed for ease of dressing and attachment of NICU monitors) to bodysuits, jackets, pants and singlets. They also provide wraps, nightgowns, hats and booties for those extra-little feet. All clothing in the Sunnydays collection is made from the softest 100 per cent cotton in rib, velour and pointelle, while the Organics range is made of 100 per cent organic soft cotton.
Earlybirds clothing and accessories are available in sizes suited to babies weighing 800 grams to 4.5 kilos. To purchase, go to the Earlybirds website with prices starting at $8.95.
I treasure the professional portraits I’ve had taken of my children. The photographers captured certain expressions and looks that are ‘so them’. However, mainstream portraits are not everyone’s style. The current trend to black and white images, portraits that are really close-up or gathering all the kids together for a photo session in the park, certainly produce beautiful results but they aren’t the only way to capture childhood moments. All Pop Art has turned portraits into art by giving candid photos a modern treatment.
Why have a standard portrait when you can have Warhol style panels of repeated images in colours that pop or a Lich style portrait that looks straight from a retro comic book? I like how the bold use of colour and strong styles make these pieces a work of art as well as family mementos. While I'd be unlikely to hang a huge photograph above the fireplace, I would certainly use a piece from All Pop Art, simply because they are so striking.
Also in the range is the Manga, or Japanese fantasy style. The playfulness and cartoon quality of the Manga portraits make them a perfect choice for kids. I particularly like the silhouettes. Whilst a silhouette portrait may sound terribly old-fashioned, the result is simple, beautiful and perfectly at home in modern decor.
To really appreciate how the designers do their magic at All Pop Art, have a look at the gallery images. There are lots of examples of the photos that were used as the starting point and the portraits that were created, giving you a good idea of the different styles and artistic treatments.
Prices for portraits vary depending on size, mounting and frames. The Warhol style portraits begin at US$120, silhouettes at US$50 and Manga style at US$135. All Pop Art delivers to Australia.
When you're a tiny munchkin, most scrapes and bumps are quickly soothed with a quick kiss and a comical plaster (if only it were so simple for adults!) If you're keen to avoid tantrums and tears, try distracting them with this cool first aid kit for kids. Ow! First Aid Cheeky Monkeys kit is just the thing for kids. Not only will they love owning their own stylish kit, it contains a forehead thermometer, plasters, wound pad and bandage, antiseptic wipes, cooling get sheet and star stickers (to credit bravery, of course).
The kit is just one of four available from Ow! First Aid. For £5.99 each, you can purchase a kit for travel, for adventure or for the home. You can order online or if you find yourself in the UK any time soon, head for Boots where they are also stocked.
Just remember the golden rule when it comes to taking off plasters. The quicker you do it, the quicker the pain subsides! I wish someone had told my mother that...
Is there a more snuggly time than when the kids are freshly bathed and ready for bed in warm, winter pyjamas? Summer pyjamas never thrill me as much as what is on offer during the cooler months. Cosy flannelettes, warm waffle weaves and soft brushed cotton combined with classic patterns or cute prints are irresistible.
Here is a little of what is on offer from our sponsors to see you through sweet dreams this winter.
You can go fashionable or classic when it comes to pyjamas. For a classic pick, look no further than Jock and Tilly’s Lumberjack pyjamas. Made from Jock and Tilly’s signature waffle weave jersey, these pyjamas are super-soft and super-comfortable. For girls there is a waffle weave nightdress and both co-ordinate with a fantastic reversible robe in navy or red stripes. Babyology editor Mandi got some Jock and Tilly pjs in a children’s size 12 for herself. She reports that apart from the cute factor of having matching pjs with her kids, they are really, really comfortable. Lumberjack pjs are $49.95 and are available from Little Living.
For a classic pyjama pattern, choose spots or stripes. Eternal Creation has fabulous navy or red spotty pjs for girls and stripes for boys. I particularly like the stripey range for boys. The red and white Austin or Warwick patterns, the blue and white seersucker Oxfords or the funky blue and yellow Barbados pyjamas are all great choices. Winter pyjamas range from $39.95 to $59.95 and are available directly from Eternal Creation.
For sleepwear for babies and toddlers that is as soft as cashmere and eco-friendly, the Bamboo range from Infancy stands out. Made from super-soft, sustainably produced bamboo fibres, the bamboo range includes growsuits, pyjamas and coordinating accessories such as knotted hats. I like the understated, calm colours (walnut, stratosphere and rose) and the gumleaf print on the girls range is sweet and pretty in an unfussy way. Prices begin at $38.50 and the range is available at All About Baby.
My all-year-round essential is a white bathrobe, so perhaps I should invest in some for the kids so I can have four little mini-me's? My kids don’t use dressing gowns in summer, but in winter an extra layer when they first get up in the morning is needed. These adorable waffle weave robes from Lilly & Lolly can be personalised, so you’ll know whose is whose when they are hanging on the back of the bathroom door. The robes are $65 and available directly from Lilly & Lolly.
Oobi have created some fantastic print pjs for winter in an extremely practical style. Thick, ribbed cuffs, ankles and waistbands mean pjs won’t ride up in bed and the very cute, retro prints of giraffes and owls will impress the kids. The pjs are sized up to two years and are $39.95 a set. Oobi is available from Shophouse.
Albetta’s signature vintage print pjs are always a winter favourite and it's easy to see why. The patterns are very much for either boys or girls, but the designs are not over the top. I particularly love the cowboy print and the detail is lovely, right down to the red and white gingham trim on the cuffs, collar and pocket. Albetta is available from Urban Child. The cowboy print pjs are $49.95.
The cheeky little monkey, Julius, that is synonymous with Paul Frank and Small Paul manages to find his way into kid’s wardrobes every season and he is up to his usual tricks on winter pyjamas! Put your cheeky little monkey in these ultra-cute red and blue Small Pauls from Kido Store.
Although bubs in pint-sized pjs are an adorable sight, I tended to dress my babies in all-in-ones for warmth. Nature Baby’s full pyjama suit fits the bill – made from 100 per cent super soft, organic cotton the all-in-one design means no draughty gaps around the tummy! The suits are available in unisex navy stripes or natural and are $38.95 from Bébé.
I’ve long been a fan of Eeni Meeni Miini Moh’s simple designs and gentle colours. Get in quick for an Eeni Meeni Miini Moh bargain at My First Room. Pretty, warm and comfortable the blush coloured pjs or the pale pink creature design at $41.00 are a great buy.
Pink for girls, blue for boys and cute applique animals for both! The Ouch winter sleepwear range features applique tops and coordinating patterned pants. My favourite is the blue and green dinosaur with spotty pants but there are also pink giraffes for girls. Sized up to 2 years, Ouch pjs are $32.95 and are available from Jive Baby.
Babyologists will have seen our numerous features about the ever-fabulous See Kai Run. We're always updating you on the latest styles and have recently seen the brand release its 'Smaller' and 'Eleven' ranges, which service the little ones from 0-18 months, and the older kids from three to eight years.
We're elated to tell you that See Kai Run has just launched its brand new site especially for us here in the Southern Hemisphere - Australians and New Zealanders can now purchase this awesome label locally! All orders over $100 are shipped free (over A$150 for New Zealand).
Having kids may have put a serious cramp in my interior decorating style but I’m not quite ready to settle for the Elmo-shaped armchair my daughter spied at a local department store last week. No. I’d much prefer to seat my offspring in something like this Bertoia Child’s Diamond Chair from Knoll Kids.
There’s something about the Diamond’s classic shape (US$530) that screams modern masterpiece. But in a nicely subtle way. Which is so much more my style – yours too, I’m guessing - than any fuzzy-wuzzy armchair with built-in googly eyes.
The new release Knoll Kids collection contains plenty more pint-sized pieces from the annals of iconic 20th century furniture design that will have modern-leaning parents in raptures. We dare you not to love the Womb chair, a scaled-down version of the original by Finnish design god Eero Saarinen. Of course, at US$2380, you might not be so fond of the price.
The retro Risom Child’s Chair and matching Amoeba Table pictured below is a little more affordable but no less stylish. It’s priced from US$197 per chair and US$404 for the table. Visit Knoll to drool over the entire kids' range while you wait for Australian stockists to be announced. Or just say `to hell with it’ and organise your own reshipper from the States.
If you don’t have the budget or the patience to wait for a genuine Knoll, try Little Nest for Australian-made pieces with a similar modernistic flair.
